Best Cacophony Steve Thomas Podcasts (2024)

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154. Wedded Bliss! A 30th anniversary gift: Stravinsky, Dumbarton Oaks 8:08

6M ago8:08

8:08

A cool and funky wedding anniversary present - a 15 minute classic from the most famous composer alive, Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks is stylish, sophisticated and hugely enjoyable! Listening time 23 mins (podcast 8', music 15') Music here, played by the Ensemble InterContemporain conducted by Pierre Boulez, on Youtube, Spotify, and (links to the 1st…

1
153. Ecstasy, beauty, and ripping the universe open: Messiaen, Vingt regards sur l’enfant Jésus - with Rolf Hind 37:29

6M ago37:29

37:29

Pianist Rolf Hind introduces one of the epics of piano music. A heady mix of virtuoso composing and devout faith, Olivier Messiaen's 20 reflections on the infant Jesus, Vingt regards sur l'infant Jésus, brings us a two-hour deep dive of awesome power and beautiful stillness. Listening time 38 mins (plus music 2hrs 8') Music here on Youtube, played …

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152. An injection of flavour and joy: Nohl, Spices 15:15

9M ago15:15

15:15

Hot off the press! The wonders of modern tech allow us to enjoy Katharina Nohl's rhapsody for piano and orchestra, Spices, before it's even been performed by live musicians! And Katharina joins us to talk us through the recipe. Listening time 33 mins (podcast 15', music 18') The complete music here on Youtube. What do you think? Tell me with a comm…

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151. An unbeaten 50 of flair and panache! Haydn, Symphony No.50 8:30

10M ago8:30

8:30

Always entertaining the crowds, Haydn brings up his 50 with typical style (before settling down for 50 more symphonies). Not a famous piece but well worth a listen! Listening time 27 mins (podcast 9', music 18') Music here on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon and Apple Musics played by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Béla Drahos. You can buy the …

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Women’s World Cup FINAL of Classical Music: USA v Ireland 2:28

11M ago2:28

2:28

It's the Women’s World Cup of Classical Music! And it's THE FINAL! USA vs Republic of Ireland Complete music here: hthttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCXUbmBaA9OoRjafAn_k1zTnHR8cH9qyj Please listen to the music and then: vote here: https://forms.gle/XJoU1Vr3MfWraQL48 Voting open NOW Please share the podcast widely, by telling people you know and …

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If plankton made music what would it sound like? Norway: Maja S K Ratkje 17:33

11M ago17:33

17:33

Maja S K Ratkje joins Cacophony at the Women's World Cup to explore the fun and joy of writing music and choose pieces by her Norwegian colleagues. But there must be something in the Norwegian water, as there's the same tiny inspiration for several of the composers! The complete pieces on Maja's list can be heard here: https://youtube.com/playlist?…

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Music from a global melting pot: Brazil / Gabriella di Laccio 26:51

11M ago26:51

26:51

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. Singer, Gabriella di Laccio is our guide to music by women from Brazil - a melting pot of traditions and cultures that ends up with music that sounds... Brazi…

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Music with intention...for those with an open mind: Canada / Melissa Hui 25:58

11M ago25:58

25:58

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. In this episode we turn to Canada, where Melissa Hui's selection is typically diverse with living composers who are first nations, Canadian born and immigrant…

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”Music is integral, it’s like breathing”: Roxanna Panufnik/ England 19:16

12M ago19:16

19:16

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. We shift the focus to England, with Roxanna Panufnik's choice of rich and satisfying pieces from a line up of stellar composers. Listening time: podcast 20min…

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Living through the ups and downs of creation: Elena Kats-Chernin/ Australia 22:56

12M ago22:56

22:56

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. Elena Kats-Chernin presents her choices of music from Australia - composers who all work hard and write music of vitality, invention, intensity and often fun!…

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Mountains, olives and the vastness of existence: Spain/ Inés Medina-Fernández 23:51

12M ago23:51

23:51

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. In this epsiode, Inés Medina Fernández presents her choices of music from Spain, carefully chosen from accross the country and including including famous musi…

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Music as a thing for shared connection: Netherlands/ Marion von Tilzer 20:59

1y ago20:59

20:59

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. This episode features music from the Netherlands and Marion von Tilzer's choices of music that gets us more connected. We'll hear how, when a performer is rel…

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Super excited and hyped up! Sage Shurman/ USA 18:41

12M ago18:41

18:41

It's Cacophony …at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. This epsiode we hear top young composer, Sage Shurman, getting super excited - in a pretty chilled Californian kind of way - for both the World Cup football a…

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”Planting women’s music in the collective memory of society” Katharina Nohl/ Switzerland 25:55

12M ago25:55

25:55

It's Cacophony …at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. In this episode we hear from Katharina Nohl, founder of the Swiss Female Composers Festival, with her choices of music from Switzerland and how giving female …

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150. Nine is the magic number! Farrenc, Nonet 6:37

1y ago6:37

6:37

By turns grand and genial with moments of great inventiveness and wit, Louise Farrenc's Nonet for wind and strings is a bit of magic! Listening time 37 mins (podcast 7', music 30') Music here on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon and Apple Musics (tracks 7-10) played by the Intercontinental Ensemble with tons of style and (unlike some of the other recordings…

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149. Keeping us fresh since 1784: Haydn, Piano trio No.19 6:36

1y ago6:36

6:36

Meeting his boss's insatiable desire for new content 'forced' [his word] Joseph Haydn to write original, inventive music that sounds as fresh and full of life today as when it was written. And he wrote so much great music that I only heard this piano trio for the first time this week - and it's wonderful stuff. Listening time 19 mins (podcast 6', m…

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148. Rituals, a riot and a revolution: Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring 12:34

1y ago12:34

12:34

110 years ago in Paris, Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring caused a furore and changed music forever. Did the police have to be called? It's still a piece that shocks and stuns and is filled with something amazing every second. Listening time c45 mins (podcast, 12', Music 33') Music here on Spotify, Amazon and Apple Music played by the Junge Deutsche …

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147. Music in the blood and poetry in the soul: Williams, Penillion 6:48

1y ago6:48

6:48

A rarity from Wales (a Welsh rare-bit?), Grace Williams's orchestral piece Penillion surprises, delights and has an epic grandeur. It's terrific stuff and I think you'll love it! Listening time 25 mins (podcast, 7', Music 18') Music here on Youtube played by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes What do you think? Tell…

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146. Risk and adventure: Tower, Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman 5:32

1y ago5:32

5:32

Another great, short piece, here's the first of Joan Tower's Fanfares celebrating risk-taking and adventurous women. This is both celebratory and substantial, plus a workout for brass and percussion. Listening time 8 mins (podcast 5.5', music 2.5') Listen to the music, Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No.1, here on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music or Am…

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145. Representation and taxation: Copland, Fanfare for the Common Man 5:49

1y ago5:49

5:49

A short podcast about the shortest of pieces, yet Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man still packs a punch and seems to point to big issues. 'No taxation without representation'? Perhaps today's call should be 'No representatives (from the Head of State down) who don't pay their taxes!' Listening time c10 minutes (podcast 6', music 3') Listen…

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144. On the edge of possibility: Beethoven, ”Appassionata” Sonata 9:41

1y ago9:41

9:41

Often on the edge, in life and music, Beethoven goes to extremes on the piano to show us the extreme depth of his feelings. His Appassionata Sonata is every bit as intense as its name suggests! Listening time 33 mins (podcast 10', music 23') Listen to the whole piece here, played by Maurizio Pollini on piano on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music (this l…

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143. Genesis and Resurrection: Fanny Mendelssohn, Easter Sonata 10:59

1+ y ago10:59

10:59

Lost for 150 years and then, because it was so good, presumed to have been written by her brother, Fanny Mendelssohn's Easter Sonata for piano is passionate, intense, lyrical and dramatic... and the story of its rediscovery is no less compelling. Listening time c36 mins [11' podcast, 21 or 25' music] The complete music is here in the original 1970s…

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142. In search of happy music: Arnold, English Dances 6:04

1+ y ago6:04

6:04

English folk music is often typically nostalgic and melancholy. Cacophony goes in search of happiness with Malcolm Arnold's English Dances - pretty, witty and bright! Listening time 24 mins (podcast 6', music 18') Music here, played by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Penny on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music (tracks 1-8 English D…

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141. Songs from a disappearing world: Vaughan Williams, Norfolk Rhapsody 7:39

1+ y ago7:39

7:39

Haunting and melancholy music from my hometown, Vaughan Williams's Norfolk Rhapsody No.1 features the old songs of fisherman and the last days of a way of life. Like the local landscape it's bleak but beautiful! Total listening time 18 mins (podcast 7', music 11') Here's Joe Anderson, James ‘Duggie’ Carter and the Reverend Alfred Huddle: The music …

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140. Hidden pigeons & dancing farmers: Kaprálová, Rustic Suite 5:04

1+ y ago5:04

5:04

Packed with memorable Czech songs about pigeons, nightingales, love, life and unploughed fields, Vítěslava Kaprálová's Rustic Suite mixes countryside charm with the confident orchestral swagger of a 23 year old receiving acclaim in Paris and London. Music full of life and good tunes! Listening time 21 mins (music 16', podcast 5') The music is here,…

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139. Escaping to a happier place: Tailleferre, Little Suite 7:27

1+ y ago7:27

7:27

Small but perfectly formed, Germaine Tailleferre's Little Suite is seven minutes of innocent delight from a composer looking to escape from the trials of a difficult life. It may be short, but it's packed with memorable tunes and a joyous spirit. Irresistible! Listening time c14 minutes (podcast 7', music 7') It's not available commercially, but th…

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138. Ballet music that packs a punch: Stravinsky, Petrushka 13:35

1+ y ago13:35

13:35

It's a riot of colour at the carnival in Stravinsky's wonderful ballet, Petrushka, with dancing (of course), puppets, romance (kind of), fighting, and a wild bear. It's got everything - even a French song about a woman's prosthetic limb, but you have to listen for an explanation...! Total listening time 48 mins (podcast 13', music 35') The music is…

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137. I must go down to the sea again: Debussy, La Mer 10:35

1+ y ago10:35

10:35

Who doesn't love gazing at the sea? It's something that brings out the meditative in all of us as we stare at it and think deep thoughts. Claude Debussy didn't want us to think too hard - just to listen. In La Mer, he brings The Sea to us wherever we are, in all its beauty and wonder. Total listening time 36 mins (podcast 11', music 25') The music …

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136. Where the walls of heaven are thin as a curtain: Simon Clark on Talbot, Path of Miracles 24:19

1+ y ago24:19

24:19

An epic and spiritual adventure for choir, Joby Talbot's Path of Miracles captures the hope, the expectation and the moments of overwhelm (both positive and negative) of travellers on the ancient and still popular pilgrimage trail the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James). Simon Clark, scientist, author and singer joins me to share his passion for t…

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135. Uplifting melancholy and passionate languor: Granados, Spanish Dances 11:38

1+ y ago11:38

11:38

Music that seems to conjure all the tastes, smells and senses of Spain - or my expectations of them (as someone who's hardly been there): Spanish dances for piano by Enrique Granados. Perfect music if you just want to feel warmer, but it's also an opportunity to bask (Basque? [sorry]) in some gloriously wistful melancholy that seems to underpin all…

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Not the World Cup of (largely) classical music: revisited! Highlights and talking points 41:25

1+ y ago41:25

41:25

Not the World Cup was a "glorious celebration of classical and world music" that ran alongside a small men's football competition in late 2022. Each team in each game of the football was represented by a short piece of (largely classical) music - 110 pieces in all from 107 composers (including 41 pieces by women): loads of great music and loads of …

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134. The sound of the solar system? Kepler’s Harmony of the World 23:07

1+ y ago23:07

23:07

An extraordinary, ambitious, blend of art and science, Johanes Kepler's Harmony of the World is a 17th century attempt to understand what the then known universe sounded like - on a planetary level! In the 1970s, using the latest technology Professors Willie Ruff and John Rodgers were able to make Kepler's Harmony into music - an extended piece of …

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Introducing: Not the World Cup of (largely) classical music! 1:56

1+ y ago1:56

1:56

This is a brief announcement to tell you about Not the World Cup of (largely) classical music, which is running during the football world cup as a complement or alternative. It's lots of fun and you can find it on the Cacophony Youtube or at cacophonyonline.com https://www.youtube.com/@cacophonypodcast Please listen, please vote, please share!…

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133. A woman on the money: Clara Schumann, Piano Trio 12:53

1+ y ago12:53

12:53

Urbane sophistication mixes with poetry and drama in Clara Schumann's Piano Trio, her biggest piece from a small catalogue of great music. Better known in recent times as the wife of Robert Schumann, it was Clara who was an international star as the leading pianist of their day. It was composing, though, that brought her the greatest joy and her mu…

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132. The strange disappearence of Emilie Mayer: Mayer, Symphony no.7 12:45

1+ y ago12:45

12:45

Brand new old music in this episode: a great forgotten symphony by a composer forgotten for around 150 years, Emilie Mayer. It's memorable, tuneful and inventive - a real discovery! Listening time 48' total (podcast 13', Music 35') Music here on Youtube, Spotify and Amazon Music played on a brand new recording by the NDR Radiophilharmonie Orchestra…

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131. Into the woods: Weber, Der Freishütz overture 9:09

1+ y ago9:09

9:09

Terror, excitement and delight - all there in handfuls as Carl Maria von Weber takes us into the depths of the forest for a folk tale of magic, sorcery, love, good and evil. One of my long time favourites and a brave new world for German opera in Der Fresichütz ("The Free-shooter"). Are you brave enough to go down to the woods today? Listening time…

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130. Talking about a revolution: Webern, Six Pieces for orchestra 8:44

1+ y ago8:44

8:44

At a time when everything seemed on the brink and the old ways no longer looked fit for purpose, Anton Webern was part of a musical revolution - giving us new ways of hearing music and seeing the world. His six pieces for large orchestra are whole worlds compressed into a few minutes of bleak beauty, terrifying dissonance and even more disturbing s…

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129. Hitting the sweet spot at sixteen: Mozart, Divertimento K.136 5:05

2y ago5:05

5:05

Mozart's music is brilliant, right? Even people who claim to know nothing about music say that. Well, it's true! In this Divertimento the 16 year-old Mozart really hits the spot with a piece of perfection, delight and joie de vivre. It's one of the pieces where Mozart moves from young prodigy to straight out master. Listening time: 20 mins (podcast…

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128. Salute to the sun: Handel, Eternal source of light divine 5:26

2y ago5:26

5:26

Perhaps the shortest music that will ever feature on Cacophony, Eternal source of light divine is three beautiful and brilliant minutes of Handel, setting us up for the day as effectively as any yoga routine (though you can do that too of course)! It's a quietly awe-filled salute to the sun. Listening time: 10 mins (podcast 6', music 4') Performanc…

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127 A whole new world: Bach, Cello Suite no.1 6:45

2y ago6:45

6:45

In his Cello Suites, JS Bach catapulted the instrument into the solo spotlight and discovered new worlds of sound and possibilities, full of riches to explore. Nominally it's dance music but its depth and beauty bring us stillness and solace. Listening time: 25 mins (podcast 7', music 18') Performances here on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Music (whol…

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126. Into a black hole... and out the other side? Thovaldsdottir, Metacosmos 8:47

2y ago8:47

8:47

Carrying a fragile flower whilst walking a tightrope. Finding the balance between beauty and chaos. Being pulled along by forces outside of our control. On Cacophony we talk about 'diving into great music': Anna Thorvaldsdottir's Metacosmos might be the biggest dive yet - into a black hole! Universal and yet personal, her music is distinctive, comp…

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125. Ain’t no mountain high enough: Strauss, An Alpine Symphony 11:16

2y ago11:16

11:16

With the wonders of our imagination and some great music to help, all things are possible - so let's enjoy the views from the top of a mountain: leaving the house (or even getting out of bed) is entirely optional. Richard Strauss takes us over the top (in every sense) in his epic, excessive, exuberant Alpine Symphony, with great views and plenty of…

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124. Heading North by Southwest with Willie Ruff: Strayhorn, Suite for the Duo 25:35

2y ago25:35

25:35

Brilliant and meaningful, North by Southwest may have been the initial name for Billy Strayhorn's Suite for The Duo, a brilliant, late work for horn and piano: it's a title that suggests confusion and conflicting ideas about the dying composers direction of travel. It's a great piece: virtuosic but raw and written with a total understanding of both…

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123. Emptiness and space: Sculthorpe: Kakadu 5:40

2y ago5:40

5:40

Heat, danger, emptiness and space. Plenty of all of this in Peter Sculthorpe's excellent Kakadu - inspired by northern Australia but featuring universal themes of humanity, life, death, and timelessness. Listening time c22 minutes (podcast 6', music 16') Music here: on Youtube, on Spotify or Apple Music played by the Queensland Orchestra, conducted…

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122. The height of passion? Haydn, Symphony No.49 5:22

2y ago5:22

5:22

It's not about that sort of passion, but this symphony La Passione is intense, dark, thrilling, and one of Haydn's best! Listening time c30 minutes (podcast 5.5', music 23') Music here: on Youtube, live in concert with video, on Spotify or Apple Music (Apple Music is a link to the first track only, sorry) played by Il Giardino Armonico, conductor, …

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121. An unbearable lightness of being? Robert Schumann, Symphony no.4 10:08

2y ago10:08

10:08

One of my favourite joyful but heavyweight quick fixes, Robert Schumann's original Symphony no.4 is an intense and inventive stream of consciousness full of light and life. It's a thrill. Shame Schumann didn't see it that way... Listening time c35 minutes (podcast 10', music 25') Music here: on Youtube, Spotify or Apple Music (Apple Music is a link…

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120. A forgotten French flower: Bayon Louis, Overture ’Mayflower’ 5:41

2y ago5:41

5:41

Another forgotten gem from a late 18th century woman composer, Marie Emmanuelle Bayon Louis's overture to d'Épine is boisterous and brilliant. You can listen to the piece here played by the excellent and stylish Academy of Ancient Music. Listening time 11 minutes (podcast 5', music 6') What do you think? Let me know with an easy voicemail or commen…

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119. Dancing into Immortality: Prokofiev, Romeo & Juliet (Suite No.2) 10:27

2y ago10:27

10:27

So much more than just a famous TV theme tune, Prokofiev's music for Romeo and Juliet is full of intensity, drama, passion, wit and the occasional brilliantly pure dance number. Simultaneously draining and energising it's a fabulous demonstration of the sheer power of music. I love it. Listening time 41 minutes (podcast 11', music 30') There's a mi…

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118. Songs from the greatest ever musical! Bernstein: West Side Story 7:04

2y ago7:04

7:04

Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (Cacophony ep.117) features the driving funky rhythms at the expense of the wit, poetry and driving funky rhythms of the song numbers... so this episode features four of my favourites. Listening time 22 minutes (podcast 7', music 15') Here are complete performances of my choices on Youtube and Spoti…

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117. The greatest Musical? Bernstein: West Side Story, Symphonic Dances 9:14

2y ago9:14

9:14

I played this over a week ago and still the tunes dance around inside my head - it's the jazz- and latin-fuelled brilliance of the Symphonic Dances from Leonard Bernstein's smash hit musical, West Side Story - perhaps the greatest musical there is? Let me know! Listening time 34 minutes (podcast 10', music 24') Complete performances of the music on…

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Cacophony Steve Thomas Podcasts

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